Tar Heels turn focus to football, UGA

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Greetings from one little corner of the “Research Triangle” in North Carolina. I’m up here doing a little research myself.

I’m here to gain a little insight on the North Carolina football team. Georgia opens the 2016 season against the Tar Heels in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 3 in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome. And like the Bulldogs, they’re in the midst of spring football practice.

This is the Old Navy Field where the Tar Heels conduct their practices. AJC / CHIP TOWERS

UNC also plays its spring game on April 16. They’re not expecting 93,000, however. Kenan Stadium seats just 62,980 and it’s not always full for fall home games.

Which is not to say the Tar Heels can’t play a little oblong ball. North Carolina is coming off an 11-3 season in which it won the ACC’s Coastal Division. It didn’t end great. The Tar Heels narrowly lost to eventual national championship runner-up Clemson in the ACC championship game (45-37), then had their doors blown off by Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl (49-38). The Bears rushed for 645 yards in that game.

But with the basketball season just completed — you may have seen how UNC lost to Villanova in the NCAA championship game — the Tar Heels are ready to turn their attention to some football. I’ll be meeting with coach Larry Fedora, new quarterback Mitch Trubisky and some other players this evening and filing reports over the next couple days.